One of the best ways to capture attention is with an engaging quote from the book. This not only introduces the report's audience to the work but gives them a true taste of the story. Choose a quote that is powerful, vivid or highly descriptive. For instance, if your book is "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck you could use the quote, "It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure on the world." This type of quote summarizes the main idea of the book and gives readers an interesting prospect to consider.
Another way to give the introduction to your report a boost of energy is to begin with a description of a moving scene in the book. Select a scene that was powerful to you so that your peers are likely to find it moving as well. A great scene from EM Forster's "A Passage to India" is one in which the Indian protagonist is accused of molesting an upper class British woman. The scene is one in which the reader is not entirely sure of what is going on and captures the confusion of both the protagonist and his alleged victim. It captures the distrust of the British toward Indians at the time of colonial rule in India. This is the pivotal scene upon which the entire future of the characters is at stake.
Begin your report with a stunning observation and you will have your readers hooked. Make it a dramatic critical opinion about the book you have read. According to Captial Community College's "Guide to Grammar and Writing," this can be surprising information which will spark a reader's interest. For example, if you are creating a report about Lois Lowery's book "The Giver," you could start by stating, "This novel pretends to present a utopian world in which there is no pain or illness, but this world in truth is dark, murderous and without a soul." Your reader is likely to be intrigued by the contrary image presented by this perverted Eden.
Finally, a proven way to get readers interested in your report and the book itself is to begin with the introduction of a key character. Select a character that is unusual and likely to draw attention due to his differences. You want to start with the type of character, who as the Annenberg Learner website states, will continue to remain in the minds and hearts of readers after the book has been put down. Take Edward in Stephanie Meyer's book "Twilight." Begin your report by describing his ultra-pale skin, unusual beauty, brooding presence and the impression he gives of being much older than the high school student he portrays. You can then recount the incident in which he stopped a car from hitting Bella with his bare hands to further show that this is not your everyday dude. Readers will be anxious to learn more about this character.